Government will move to strengthen regulatory controls of alcohol in South Africa in a bid to reduce road accidents, crime and other social ills.
This was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his delivery of the State of the Nation Address in Cape Town.
Last month, the Transport Department revealed that while crashes and fatalities reduced by 5% during the festive season, some 8 561 drivers tested positive for alcohol consumption – an increase of 144% from the same period last year.
“Alcohol abuse leads to violence, road accidents and crime. To address this scourge, we call on provincial governments to strengthen the regulation of alcohol by limiting the density of liquor outlets, restricting trading hours and ending the sale of alcohol in large containers.
“As national government, we have proposed measures to curb excessive alcohol use, including minimum unit pricing or higher excise duties and greater restrictions on alcohol advertising, which we are consulting on with stakeholders,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President noted that excessive alcohol use is also a “major contributor to child stunting”.
“More than a quarter of children under 5 are stunted, increasing their risk of disease and affecting their ability to learn and grow. This is devastating for children and their families and has an impact on our society as a whole.
“This year, we will embark on a mission to end child stunting by 2030 and tackle malnutrition among young children, in line with the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children,” he said.
The first 1 000 days of a child’s life will be placed into sharp focus.
“Building on existing support such as the Child Support Grant, we will implement targeted interventions to ensure that pregnant women and low birth-weight children get the protein and nutrients that they need.
“This is a massive crisis that demands attention and resources. The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement will set out a clear allocation for the actions we need to take,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
